Empowering Future Leaders
Our workplace learning program bridges the gap between education and real-world experience. Students gain invaluable skills while contributing to meaningful projects.
Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Explore Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Explore Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Explore Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Explore Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Explore Our Workplace Learning Initiatives
Our initiatives are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of interest. Join us to discover how you can benefit from our programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About Workplace Learning
What is WLE
WLE stands for Workplace Learning Experience, which is a program for our high school students at Impact Academy to find internships in professional settings.
Who are the students?
The interns are 11th and 12th grade students from City Arts & Technology High School, a charter school in San Francisco. Many of our students will be the first in their families to go to college, and they often lack connections with adults who have college degrees. This program is designed to give students authentic work experiences as well as exposure to adults in a profession that they are interested in.
What are the expectations for the adult mentors?
1. Model professionalism so our students have an idea of how to act in the working world.
2. Show the student around your workplace and introduce them to your colleagues.
3. Assign the student tasks that are appropriate given their abilities.
4. Build relationships! Our students are amazing kids who will open up to adults who show them kindness and respect.
What are the students able to do?
Obviously the needs of every workplace are unique, but here are some projects that our students have completed in the past:
1. Creating information pamphlets, posters, or videos to inform customers about your business.
2. Designing and fundraising for an event for your business.
3. Cleaning and organizing spaces that have been neglected.
4. And of course they are adept at answering phones, filing papers, communicating with customers, copying, running errands, etc.
Why should I become a mentor?
Over the past four years, these internships have proven to be powerful learning experiences for both the students and their adult mentors. Our mentors typically have great experiences with the students and often have a huge impact on the student’s future.
When will the student be at their internship?
Students must be at their internship for approximately 7.25 hours each day on the dates below. Generally, between 8:00am and 5:00pm, although earlier and/or later times are negotiable on an individual basis. Talk to your student’s advisor.
What are the hours expectations?
Junior Students: 57 hours (8 days attending internship. Juniors do not attend WLE internship 12/5/2016)
Senior Students: 65 hours (9 days attending internship)
May a student intern with his/her parents?
No. Students may not intern with their parent or guardian.
Can 2 students intern with the same mentor?
No. Each student must be paired with his/her own mentor. Students may intern at the same location, but each student must have a different mentor.
How can I reach my student while they are at their WLE?
You can call your student’s mentor (your student should have their number). Please don’t call your student directly since they are not allowed to use their cell phones at the WLE (this is Impact school policy). You can also call Impact Academy’s main office. We will have all students’ WLE contact information.
Can the student get paid?
No. Students receive school credit and cannot be paid during the workplace learning experience. Many mentors hire students after the workplace experience is concluded, but this is not an expectation of the program.
As a parent, can I meet my student's mentor?
Sure! Just contact your student’s mentor or advisor, and we can set up a time.
What about insurance?
The school district will be responsible for insurance coverage, as this is a school-sponsored activity. Naturally, employers would be liable in the event of gross negligence or sexual harassment.
What type of support will my student have?
Your student’s Advisor will meet with the mentor and the student at the beginning of the internship to set goals, create a job description, and begin to design a project for the experience. The advisor will visit the workplace several times during the course of the experience period.
When will the student be available?
Students will generally be available between 8:00am and 5:00pm on Mondays, although earlier and/or later times are negotiable on an individual basis. Interns should work approximately 7.25 hours per week in order to meet their overall hour requirement of 57 hours for Junior (11th grade) students or 65 hours for Senior (12th grade) students. If possible students should be allowed to use at least 10 percent of their time (45 minutes each week) to complete school assignments connected to the workplace experience, such as writing their blog or preparing their final project and reflection.
What are the hours expectations?
Junior Students: 57 hours (8 days attending internship. Juniors do not attend WLE internship 12/5/2016)
Senior Students: 65 hours (9 days attending internship)
May a student intern with his/her parents?
No. Students may not intern with their parent or guardian.
Can 2 students intern with the same mentor?
No. Each student must be paired with his/her own mentor. Students may intern at the same location, but each student must have a different mentor.
How can I reach my student while they are at their WLE?
You can call your student’s mentor (your student should have their number). Please don’t call your student directly since they are not allowed to use their cell phones at the WLE (this is Impact school policy). You can also call Impact Academy’s main office. We will have all students’ WLE contact information.
Can the student get paid?
No. Students receive school credit and cannot be paid during the workplace learning experience. Many mentors hire students after the workplace experience is concluded, but this is not an expectation of the program.
As a parent, can I meet my student's mentor?
Sure! Just contact your student’s mentor or advisor, and we can set up a time.
What about insurance?
The school district will be responsible for insurance coverage, as this is a school-sponsored activity. Naturally, employers would be liable in the event of gross negligence or sexual harassment.
What type of support will my student have?
Your student’s Advisor will meet with the mentor and the student at the beginning of the internship to set goals, create a job description, and begin to design a project for the experience. The advisor will visit the workplace several times during the course of the experience period.
